The Sony Alpha 6000 focuses instantly and shoots at 11.1fps. Its image quality matches its speed, making it our Editors' Choice.

By Jim FisherWi-Fi and AppsThe Alpha 6000 is a Wi-Fi enabled camera, and it supports NFC pairing for quick connection to compatible phones and tablets. If you've got a phone without NFC, a password is required to connect to the network that the camera broadcasts when Wi-Fi is enabled. With the free Sony PlayMemories Mobile app, available for Android and iOS, it's possible to transfer images from the camera to your phone or tablet. Transfer of images shot in Raw format is supported, but they'll be copied over in JPG format so that they can be read by your handheld device. Video transfer is also supported, but only if you shoot in the lower-quality MP4 format.

You can move beyond basic transfer functionality by downloading apps from the PlayMemories store. It's accessed directly from the camera; you just need to connect it to a Wi-Fi network to get online. Sony preloaded the Smart Remote Control app on our Alpha 6000 review unit; it's free and makes it possible to control the camera via your phone or tablet. You can adjust the zoom if a power zoom lens is attached, control the focus point, and adjust the shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and EV compensation depending on the mode in which the camera is set. There's a big shutter button on the app to take a photo, and you can set a self-timer if desired.

There are a number of other apps available to explore functionality. Direct Upload lets you post directly to Facebook, Flickr, or PlayMemories Online, and Photo Retouch and Picture Effect+ are available for basic photo editing and filtering. There are also some premium apps, including one to capture star trails ($9.99), another for time lapse photography ($9.99), and another that expands the bracketing functionality of the camera ($4.99). A full list is available on the Web so you can have an idea of what's available and how much each costs (no app is more than $10) before you invest in the Alpha 6000.

The app-based approach to expanding camera functionality is one that's unique to Sony, and it does have the advantage of adding functionality down the road—if you have an older NEX-6 you can go and download the Star Trail app, which was just released this year. But I do have to call in to question the choice to charge a premium for some of the apps. You're already paying hundreds of dollars for a camera; the additional apps should be free. Samsung builds a lot of functionality into its Wi-Fi cameras, including the similar NX300, and doesn't require additional downloads or fees.

That's not to say that the Alpha 6000, as it ships, is devoid of features that go beyond the basics. It has some bracketing functions, including bracketing by exposure, white balance, and dynamic range, included. There's also a panorama mode—it's accessible via the mode dial and automatically stitches a series of exposures together to create one wide shot.

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